ANNOUNCER: THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS A SPECIAL PRESENTATION OF THE BIG TEN NETWORK, PRODUCED IN ASSOCIATION WITH MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY.
[THIS VIDEO INCLUDES IMAGES OF THE SPARTAN ALUMNI MARCHING BAND]
[THE VIDEO OPENS WITH THE HOST JIM PECK OUTSIDE IN THE SNOW]
JIM PECK: I'M JIM PECK. WELCOME TO "MSU TODAY" IN SNOWY EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN. HERE'S WHAT'S COMING RIGHT NOW.
[IMAGES OF THE ALUMNI BAND, MSU DUBAI, THE MSU BAJA TEAM, AND SAMARITAN SCROLLS]
JIM PECK: THE ALUMNI BAND...
MSU DUBAI...
THE MSU BAJA TEAM...
SAMARITAN SCROLLS.
JIM PECK: THE SPARTAN MARCHING BAND IS LEGENDARY. AND YOU KNOW LEGENDS RIDE ON THE SHOULDERS OF THOSE WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE. BUT ONCE A YEAR, SOME OF THOSE LEGENDS COME BACK TO THE MSU CAMPUS FOR ONE SOMETIMES VERY RAINY DAY.
JIM BARRY, TRUMPET, 1969-1973: I PLAY TRUMPET.
[ TRUMPET PLAYS ]
BARRY: I WAS SECTION LEADER MY LAST YEAR.
JAN MCINTYRE, ALTO HORN, 1974-1978: '74 TO '78.
WOMAN #1: 2003 TO 2007.
BARRY: I WAS 1969 TO 1973.
TOM IZZO, HEAD COACH, MEN’S BASKETBALL: YOU'RE MOVING A LITTLE SLOWER ON THOSE TURNS, THOUGH -- I'LL TELL YOU THAT.
BARRY: I'M TODAY'S MSU ALUMNI BAND.
[ MARCHING BAND PLAYS ]
BARRY: EVERY YEAR, FOR ONE DEDICATED FOOTBALL GAME, THE ALUMS TAKE CENTER STAGE.
[ MARCHING BAND PLAYS ]
MAN #1: WELL, I THINK THE BEST PART IS THE CAMARADERIE. THERE'S NO QUESTION.
MCINTYRE: THE BEST THING'S COMING BACK TO SEE THE FRIENDS THAT I HAVE AND THE EXCITEMENT OF CAMPUS.
BARRY: HEY, LONG TIME, NO SEE.
MCINTYRE: JUST GREAT TO BE BACK HERE AND REMEMBER HOW IT WAS WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER AND FEEL LIKE A KID AGAIN.
MAN #2: THEY'RE JUST LOVING THEIR RETURN BACK TO CAMPUS, YOU KNOW?
BARRY: AND IT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING BACK TO MSU TO RENEW FRIENDSHIPS AND TO TRY TO REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS LIKE IN THE SPARTAN MARCHING BAND.
JOHN MADDEN, DIRECTOR, MSU BAND: HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE IN THE BAND WHEN PROFESSOR MOFFIT WAS THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF BANDS?
MCINTYRE: THIS IS LAUREN'S FIRST YEAR AT ALUMNI BAND.
LAUREN KOME, TENOR SAX, 2003-2007: IT'S MY FIRST YEAR BACK.
MADDEN: [ SCATTING ]
MCINTYRE: I'VE NEVER MISSED IN ALL MY YEARS.
MADDEN: MORE OF THAT KIND OF SWINGING SHUFFLE.
ALL: OH. OH.
MAN #4: THAT'S NOT THE WAY MOFFIT DID IT.
[ LAUGHTER ]
MADDEN: WE KNOW THAT'S NOT THE WAY MOFFIT DID IT.
MCINTYRE: BEING ABLE TO READ THE MUSIC, BECAUSE YOU NEED READING GLASSES... [ LAUGHTER ] THAT'S THE HARDEST PART.
BARRY: AND IT'S A CHANCE TO CONNECT OVER THE GENERATIONS. WE MAKE FRIENDS WITH STUDENTS THAT ARE A COUPLE GENERATIONS BEHIND. WE MAKE FRIENDS WITH STUDENTS WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, 10 YEARS BEHIND. SO THAT'S WONDERFUL -- TO MAKE THIS CONNECTION.
IZZO: THERE'S NOTHING GREATER IN THIS JOB THAN TO SEE THE ALUMS COME BACK.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] [ MARCHING BAND PLAYS ]
MAN #5: I'M GLAD THEY GAVE ME SOMETHING I KNOW.
[ LAUGHTER ] [ RAIN FALLING ]
MADDEN: HEY, ALUMNI BAND, PLEASE. ALUMNI BAND, STARTING LINE. STARTING-LINE POSITION, ALUMNI BAND. I SAY EVERYBODY INTO THE POOL. LET'S GO. [ LAUGHS ] WHATEVER. YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET ANY WETTER, YOU KNOW? [ MARCHING BAND PLAYS ] >> THESE ARE HARD-CORE, MAN. THESE ARE THE GUYS THAT ARE HERE IN THE RAIN.
[ MARCHING BAND PLAYS ]
MAN #6: RIGHT HERE, GUYS. RIGHT HERE.
MADDEN: THE SHOW GOES ON, YOU KNOW? RAIN DOESN'T STOP A FOOTBALL GAME, SO RAIN'S NOT GONNA STOP A MARCHING BAND.
[ MARCHING BAND PLAYS ]
MADDEN: LIGHTNING IS A DIFFERENT STORY. [ LAUGHS ]
[ FINALE PLAYS ]
MAN #7: WHOO-HOO!
[ MUSIC ENDS ]
MAN #8: REMEMBER TO CHECK LEFT AND RIGHT -- KEEP YOUR GUIDES ON.
MCINTYRE: MARCHING COMES BACK, JUST LIKE YOU RIDE A BIKE -- ONCE YOU LEARN HOW TO RIDE A BIKE, YOU ALWAYS CAN DO IT -- SAME THING WITH MARCHING.
[ PERCUSSION PLAYS ] [ MARCHING BAND PLAYS ]
WE'VE HAD AS MANY AS 400 ALUMNI BACK TO MARCH, YOU KNOW, ONE MORE TIME ON THE TURF AT SPARTAN STADIUM.
ALL [SINGING]: SING OUR LOVE FOR ALMA MATER,AND THY PRAISES, MSU
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
MAN #9 AND MAN #10: FIGHT! FIGHT, TEAM, FIGHT!
MAN #10: VICTORY FOR MSU
MAN #9 AND MAN #10: WHOO! WHOO! WHOO-HOO-HOO! WHOO!
MAN #11: GOT IT? OH!
MAN #10:NO, I DIDN'T GET IT! IT'S OKAY. NO. WHOO!
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
MADDEN: OH, THEY WOULDN'T LET US GO ON THE FIELD BECAUSE IT WAS TOO WET. THE AMOUNT OF RAIN WE WERE GETTING IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME -- THAT'S WHEN THEY PULLED THE PLUG ON ALLOWING THE BANDS TO GO ON THE FIELD AT HALFTIME, WHICH WAS UNFORTUNATE. WE MADE THE BEST OF IT AND KIND OF CREATED A STANDSTILL PERFORMANCE, BUT THAT WAS A BUMMER, BECAUSE A LOT OF FOLKS CAME FROM A LONG WAY AWAY TO PERFORM. I DO BELIEVE THE ATTENDANCE OF THE ALUMNI BAND SHRUNK JUST A LITTLE BIT AFTER HALFTIME.
[ LAUGHS ] A FEW FOLKS PROBABLY BEELINED IT OUT OF THERE PRETTY QUICK. I WOULD VENTURE TO GUESS THAT THE REUNION IS NOT DEEMED SUCCESSFUL OR UNSUCCESSFUL BASED ON HOW WELL THE MARCHING SHOW GOES.
[ MARCHING BAND PLAYS ]
MADDEN: THEY WERE GOOD SPORTS ABOUT IT. SO, THEY GOT TO SEE EACH OTHER, BUT THEY GOT WET, TOO.
MAN #12: IT WAS A REAL THRILL FOR ME TO PLAY WITH THESE GUYS.
GAME ANNOUNCER: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, YOUR 2008 SPARTAN AND ALUMNI MARCHING BANDS.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] [ MARCHING BAND PLAYS ]
[END]
[THIS VIDEO INCLUDES IMAGES OF MSU DUBAI]
[THIS VIDEO OPENS WITH THE HOST JIM PECK WALKING OUTSIDE IN THE SNOW]
JIM PECK: THERE IS AT LEAST ONE PLACE IN THE WORLD OF MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY WHERE SNOW AND COLD LIKE THIS IS ONLY A FANTASY. MSU DUBAI IS ATTRACTING GLOBAL STUDENTS WHO ARE LOOKING FOR SPARTAN EDUCATION NOT IN THE SNOW AND COLD OF THE MIDWEST, BUT IN THE SANDS OF THE MIDDLE EAST.
MAN #1: LIVE FROM THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES IN DUBAI, "THE PAUL W. SMITH SHOW" AT NEWS/TALK 760 WJR. TODAY IS THE DAY THE RED CARPET HAS LITERALLY BEEN ROLLED OUT, AND THE RIBBON WILL BE CUT. AND MSU NOW HAS A FULL UNIVERSITY CAMPUS IN DUBAI.
MAN #2: THIS IS OUR OFFICIAL GRAND OPENING.
MAN #3: 1, 2, 3. BRAVO. BRAVO. BRAVO.
JIM PECK: IT MIGHT SEEM UNBELIEVABLE THAT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY HAS A CAMPUS IN DUBAI. IT'S HERE HELPING FILL THE NEEDS OF A REGION. IT'S RIGHT IN LINE WITH MSU's WORLD VIEW.
LOU ANNA K. SIMON, PRESIDENT, MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY: ACTUALLY, WE'RE TRYING TO DRAW PEOPLE FROM THE REGION, SO THIS IS AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION AS A MAGNET FOR THE GREATER MID EAST, AS WELL AS, WE HOPE, STUDENTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, EVENTUALLY, AS THIS GETS OFF THE GROUND.
JIM PECK: DR. ABDULLA AL KARAM IS THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE EDUCATIONAL. SYSTEM IN DUBAI. THIS PARTNERSHIP IS WHAT HE SAYS HIS COUNTRY AND THE WHOLE MIDDLE EAST NEEDS TO ENSURE STABILITY AND PROGRESS.
DR. ABDULLA AL KARAM, DIRECTOR GENERAL, EDUCATION: WE ARE, WITH MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR THE REGION, AND THAT'S IMPORTANT TO US. AND TODAY, THERE WAS A CUTTING OF THE RIBBON.
[IMAGE OF RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY]
DR. ABDULLA AL KARAM: AND USUALLY, IT'S MARKED AS THE END OF A RACE. I THINK, FOR US, IT'S THE BEGINNING OF IT. BUT IT'S A RACE WE ARE NOT DOING FOR MICHIGAN STATE. WE ARE NOT DOING IT FOR OURSELVES. WE ARE DOING IT TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO THE HUNDRED MILLION UNDER THE AGE OF 25.
JIM PECK: DUBAI HAS BEEN WORKING ON ITSELF. A LOT OF THAT WORK HAS OPENED THE COLLECTIVE EYES OF THE WORLD, WITH AMAZING HOTELS AND THE TALLEST BUILDING ANYWHERE. THEY HAVE DEVELOPED ZONES FOR COMMERCE AND TECHNOLOGY, FOR MEDIA. THE GROWTH HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS.
DR. ABDULLA AL KARAM: AS WE'RE CREATING THESE ZONES AND BRINGING THE COMPANY, THE MULTINATIONALS, THE IBMs AND THE MICROSOFTS AND THE NBCs AND THE CNNs AND THE REUTERS, WE ALSO NEED TO PLAN FOR THEM NOT ONLY THE FACILITIES OR THE LEGAL SYSTEM, BUT ALSO THE SOFTER ASPECT, WHICH IS THE PEOPLE SIDE OF IT.
JIM PECK: AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE PEOPLE OF DUBAI, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A VERY DIVERSE SET OF PEOPLE. EVERYONE WILL TELL YOU THAT ABOUT 80% OF THE POPULATION ARE EXPATRIATES, PEOPLE FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE WHO HAVE COME TO DUBAI. MOSTLY, THEY'VE COME FOR WORK.
DR. ABDULLA AD KARAM: SOON, YOU WILL FIND STUDENTS FROM AFGHANISTAN STUDYING IN AN AMERICAN UNIVERSITY HERE -- FROM IRAN, FROM SYRIA, FROM ANY COUNTRY YOU WANT TO. IT'S HERE -- SUCH AN OPEN PLACE. DUBAI IS KNOWN TO BE VERY UNDERSTANDING OF OTHER CULTURES.
JIM PECK: BUT, AS WE ALL KNOW, A RICH COMBINATION OF CULTURES CAN BRING SOME MISUNDERSTANDINGS AND, AT TIMES, EVEN WORSE. DUBAI HAS BEEN A PLACE OF STABILITY IN THE MIDDLE EAST. DR. ABDULLA HOPES AN EDUCATIONAL BASE CAN BE TRANSFORMATIONAL.
DR. ABDULLA AL KARAM: AND THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GONNA REFORM THE REGION -- POLITICALLY, ECONOMICALLY -- VIS-à-VIS THE EDUCATION. AND THAT IS THE SUSTAINABLE SIDE, GIVING THE LARGE TALENT POOL WE HAVE IN HERE.
SIMON: THE VISION HERE IS TO USE EDUCATION AS A TOOL FOR THE COMMON GOOD, AND A COMMON GOOD NOT SIMPLY TO MAKE DUBAI RICHER IN AN ECONOMIC SENSE, BUT TO MAKE IT RICHER IN A CULTURAL AND SOCIAL SENSE AND TO HAVE THIS BE A MODEL FOR THE GREATER MID EAST FOR A SOCIETY THAT CAN, IN FACT, FUNCTION EFFECTIVELY WITHIN A GLOBAL CONTEXT. AND SO THEY HAVE BIG DREAMS.
DR. ABDULLA AL KARAM: AND EVEN THOUGH IT'S HERE IN A BUILDING WITH A SIGN, WITH COBBLED FLOORS, BUT THAT'S FINE. THAT'S A GOOD STARTING POINT. I THINK WE ARE AGREED ON IT -- WE WILL BUILD AS WE GO. THE SCHOOL WILL BE A PLACE TO PROVE HOW STRONG IS THE CONCEPT, NOT FROM THE BUILDING. IT'S EASY TO BUILD THEM AN INFRASTRUCTURE. EVERYBODY ELSE CAN DO IT. BUT LET'S BUILD A STRONG ACADEMIC FOUNDATION WITH STRONG STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT -- THAT, AND THEN IT WILL GROW.
JIM PECK: AND THEY ARE COMING. GETTING A DEGREE FROM AN AMERICAN UNIVERSITY IS SOMETHING PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD SEE AS ESSENTIAL TO SUCCESS. BUT ACTUALLY MAKING THE MOVE TO THE U.S. JUST WON'T WORK FOR EVERYONE. SOME EVEN GO AND CHECK IT OUT.
SUZAN TASLEEM, STUDENT, MSU DUBAI: I WENT TO THE STATES, BUT IT WAS REALLY, REALLY COLD FOR ME, SO I DECIDED I WANTED TO -- STILL, I WANTED TO GO TO AN AMERICAN UNIVERSITY. THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT. BUT THE WEATHER JUST DIDN'T WORK, SO I WANTED TO COME BACK.
JIM PECK: THIS IS THE FIRST CLASS FOR MSU DUBAI. WHEN YOU TALK WITH THE STUDENTS, YOU REALIZE THERE'S A KIND OF PIONEER SPIRIT TO THIS PLACE, THIS AMAZING, ALWAYS GROWING PLACE RISING IN GLASS AND STEEL FROM THE SANDS.
AYA HASSAN, STUDENT, MSU DUBAI: FEELS VERY GOOD THAT WE ARE THE FIRST PEOPLE TO STEP PLACE IN THIS UNIVERSITY. AND AFTER FOUR YEARS, WE'LL BE THE FIRST GRADUATES FROM THE WHOLE UNIVERSITY. SO THIS FEELING IS REALLY GREAT AND OVERWHELMING. SO I THINK IT'S GOOD.
JIM PECK: FOR DR. ABDULLA, MSU DUBAI MAKES PERFECT SENSE -- A PERFECT PARTNERSHIP. HIS PEOPLE NEED WORLD-CLASS HIGHER EDUCATION. MSU IS A TOP-100 UNIVERSITY WITH DEEP ROOTS AROUND THE WORLD.
DR. ABDULLA AL KARAM: YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO GO TO YOUR CUSTOMER. THEY CANNOT COME TO YOU. AND THAT APPLIES FOR ANYTHING. AND I THINK THIS IS A TESTIMONIAL OF, YES, THE STUDENTS ARE THERE, AND WE DO UNDERSTAND THE REASONS WHY THEY CANNOT COME, AND THERE ARE GENUINE REASONS. THEY SHOULD NOT BE DEPRIVED THE OPPORTUNITY OF DOING SO, SO WE'LL GO THERE FOR THE RIGHT REASON.
SIMON: ANOTHER PIECE OF A GLOBAL EXPERIENCE FOR THE 21st CENTURY AND CONSISTENT WITH OUR LAND-GRANT ROOTS. SO THAT PHRASE THAT I'VE BEEN USING, IN TERMS OF "LAND-GRANT HERITAGE," SORT OF WORLD-GRANT REALLY IS OUR DESTINY. WHAT THAT WILL MEAN WILL BE DEFINED, I THINK, AS WE GO ALONG.
DR. ABDULLA AL KARAM: YOU REALLY NEED TO MANAGE BOTH THE ACCESS TO THE EDUCATION AND THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION. MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITIES MEET BOTH OF THESE QUALIFICATIONS. THIS IS THE STATE UNIVERSITY, EDUCATOR TO THE MASSES. IT HAS A STRONG SOCIAL ASPECT TO IT. AND THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT. IT HAS BEEN LONG WAITING, BUT IT'S HERE TODAY. AND I THINK THE AMERICAN DREAM IS HERE TODAY IN HIGHER EDUCATION.
JIM PECK: IT IS A QUESTION OF THE FUTURE OF DUBAI. AND BECAUSE OF WHERE DUBAI IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF WHAT CAN BE A TURBULENT PART OF THE WORLD, ADVANCING KNOWLEDGE REALLY CAN TRANSFORM LIVES. IT STARTS WITH A NEED, AND IT'S BROUGHT TO LIFE THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP.
[END]
[THIS VIDEO SHOWS IMAGES OF THE MSU BAJA TEAM]
[THIS VIDEO OPENS WITH THE HOST JIM PECK OUTSIDE ON A SNOWY DAY]
JIM PECK: IF YOU LIKE DIRT AND MUD AND SPEED AND LEARNING HOW TO BUILD THINGS, THEN THE SOCIETY OF AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERS AND THE MSU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING MIGHT HAVE JUST WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR. IT'S A DIRTY JOB, BUT, WELL, YOU KNOW THE REST.
JIM PECK: OKAY, IT'S RAINING. IT'S MUDDY. WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE TODAY?
EMILY DUSZYNSKI, MSU BAJA TEAM: THIS IS THE MICHIGAN STATE BAJA SAE PROVING GROUNDS. WE ARE THE OFF-ROAD RACING TEAM FOR MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY.
[IMAGE OF SOMEONE DRIVING THE VEHICLE]
JIM PECK: AND WE'RE GONNA BE TAKING THESE CARS OUT? YOU'RE GONNA BE TAKING THESE CARS OUT? YOU'RE GONNA LET ME DO THIS OR NOT, DO YOU THINK?
DUSZYNSKI: WE CAN LET YOU DRIVE.
[ ENGINE RUMBLING ] [IMAGE OF JIM PECK IN CAR, GIVES OKAY SIGN]
DUSZYNSKI: WE CAN LET YOU DRIVE A LITTLE BIT TODAY. YEAH, WE'RE GONNA DRIVE AROUND ON THE GROUNDS, ROLL IT OVER A LITTLE BIT, GET A LITTLE MUDDY, GET A LITTLE DIRTY.
JIM PECK: YOU'RE GONNA ROLL IT OVER. I'M NOT GONNA ROLL IT OVER.
DUSZYNSKI: RIGHT.
[ ENGINE RUMBLING ]
JIM PECK: HOW DID THIS TEAM GET STARTED? I MEAN, DID YOU GUYS JUST DECIDE IT'D BE FUN TO PLAY IN THE DIRT AND THE MUD? OR HOW DID IT COME TOGETHER?
DUSZYNSKI: THAT'S A LITTLE BIT -- THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF IT. THE SOCIETY OF AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERS SPONSORS A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT COLLEGIATE-DESIGN SERIES TEAMS, BAJA SAE BEING ONE OF THEM. SO, SINCE THE LATE '80s HERE AT MICHIGAN STATE, WE'VE HAD A BAJA SAE RACING TEAM.
JIM PECK: HOW HAS THE TEAM DONE? YOU GUYS COMPETE. YOU'RE OUT THERE. YOU'RE RUNNING. IS IT LIKE A REGULAR RACE CIRCUIT?
DUSZYNSKI: YEAH, IN THE PAST 10 YEARS, WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD SEVEN TOP-10 FINISHES IN INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS, AND THAT INCLUDES UP TO 150 TEAMS FROM OVER 10 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES ALL OVER THE WORLD. SO, IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, WE PLACED FOURTH PLACE IN THE WORLD CHALLENGE, GETTING BEAT ONLY BY BRAZIL, CANADA, AND TENNESSEE TECH UNIVERSITY. AND THEN LAST YEAR, WE GOT A SPECIAL INNOVATION AWARD FOR HAVING THE FIRST SUCCESSFUL 4-WHEEL-DRIVE BAJA SAE VEHICLE.
JIM PECK: NOW, DO YOU HAVE TO BE IN ENGINEERING TO BE PART OF THIS TEAM, OR IS IT OPEN TO ANYBODY ON CAMPUS?
DUSZYNSKI: ANYBODY FROM ANY MAJOR CAN JOIN THE TEAM. WE DO EVERYTHING, FROM MARKETING TO SPONSORSHIP TO BUSINESS TO DRIVING TO ENGINEERING TO DESIGNING -- ALL DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF ENGINEERING, AS WELL, SO...
JIM PECK: AND YOU TELL ME THIS IS EDUCATIONAL -- IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT RUNNING AROUND, BUT YOU'RE LEARNING REAL, PRACTICAL THINGS THAT HELP YOU -- IT'S A REAL UNIVERSITY ACTIVITY, RIGHT? >> RIGHT, KEY THINGS THAT YOU DON'T LEARN IN THE CLASSROOM.
DUSZYNSKI: RIGHT. WHEN YOU'RE ON THE SIDE OF THE TRACK IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ENDURANCE RACE AND YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO FIX YOUR SUSPENSION TO GET BACK IN THE RACE, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT OF 2x4, SOME REBAR, AND SOME DUCT TAPE -- THAT'S THE KIND OF ENGINEERING WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, YOU KNOW?
JIM PECK: THIS IS, LIKE, DUCT-TAPE ENGINEERING.
DUSZYNSKI: THAT'S RIGHT.
JIM PECK: OKAY, COOL.
[IMAGE OF KEN MAISONVILLE DRIVING THE BAJA VEHICLE]
JIM PECK: ALL RIGHT, KEN, SO THIS LOOKS PRETTY -- DID YOU -- YOU GOT A SPOT HERE?
KEN MAISONVILLE, MSU BAJA TEAM: YEAH, A LITTLE BIT ALL OVER THE PLACE.
JIM PECK: THAT WAS NICE. SO, IS THIS, LIKE, A TYPICAL DAY OUT HERE FOR YOU?
MAISONVILLE: I MEAN, IT DOESN'T ALWAYS GET THIS WET, BUT, YEAH, THIS IS WHAT WE DO. IT IS OUR TEST COURSE. WE COME OUT HERE AND DO DRIVING. AND I MEAN, THIS IS GOOD 'CAUSE AT THE RACES, IT COULD RAIN LIKE THIS, SO IT'S GOOD TO, YOU KNOW, GET TESTING IN ANY TYPE OF WEATHER, ANY TYPE OF CONDITIONS. AND AS LONG AS IT'S NOT PAVEMENT, WE CAN DRIVE THROUGH IT. THIS TEAM IS A COMPLETE TEAM. WE DESIGN THE CAR, SO WE LEARN HOW TO DO THAT INITIALLY. AND THEN YOU BUILD THE CAR THAT YOU'VE JUST DESIGNED. AND THEN, OBVIOUSLY, THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO RACE AND WIN. SO YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DO ALL THREE OF THOSE THINGS WELL TO BE A GOOD, COMPETITIVE TEAM. OUR SHOP IS COMPLETELY SELF-CONTAINED, WHERE WE GOT EVERY TOOL WE NEED, WHICH IS REAL NICE, WITH LATHES AND MILLS, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE -- EVERYTHING YOU SEE ON THIS CAR THAT LOOKS MADE BY US -- IT WAS MADE BY US. WELL, THE IDEA IS TO COME OUT HERE AND DRIVE IT HARD AND TRY AND BREAK IT, BECAUSE IF SOMETHING BREAKS, IT MEANS YOU DIDN'T BUILD IT STRONG ENOUGH, AND YOU HAVE TO GO BACK AND REDESIGN IT. SO WE WANT IT TO BREAK HERE ON OUR COURSE IN A CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT, WHERE WE'VE GOT THE TOOLS AND GOT THE ABILITY TO CHECK OUT WHAT'S WRONG, GO BACK, AND, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT BETTER, SO WHEN WE'RE AT THE RACE, DOING OUR 4-HOUR ENDURANCE RACE, IF SOMETHING -- WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE THAT SAME FAILURE.
JIM PECK: AND YOU GUYS -- YOU SAID YOU WERE WILLING TO LET ME GET BEHIND THIS.
MAISONVILLE: YEAH, IF YOU WANT TO DRIVE THIS, WE'LL STRAP YOU UP IN IT AND LET YOU TAKE IT FOR A SPIN.
JIM PECK: NOW, MY DIRECTOR TOLD ME I CAN'T GO TOO FAST BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE CAMERAS AND STUFF. SO, I WOULD NORMALLY JUST GO CRAZY AND JUST BE FLYING AROUND HERE.
MAISONVILLE: I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND.
JIM PECK: IF YOU DON'T SEE THAT, YOU KNOW WHY. I'M NOT WIMPING OUT. I'M WITH YOU, I MEAN, AND I JUST WISH I COULD BE LIKE YOU. OKAY, SO...
DUSZYNSKI: YOU READY TO DRIVE?
[IMAGE OF DUSZYNSKI HANDING PECK AN ARTICLE OF CLOTHING]
JIM PECK: I'M READY TO DRIVE. I DON'T KNOW IF I'M READY. AT LEAST I'LL LOOK GOOD, RIGHT?
DUSZYNSKI: RIGHT.
JIM PECK: NOW, THIS IS JUST 'CAUSE IT GOES WITH MY EYES.
DUSZYNSKI: YEAH. NO, IT'S CALLED "NOMEX.” IN CASE YOU CATCH ON FIRE, YOU'LL STILL LIVE. DON'T WORRY.
[IMAGE OF PECK PRETENDING TO RUN AWAY] [ LAUGHTER ]
JIM PECK: ALL RIGHT, SO IN CASE I CATCH ON FIRE, NOT WHEN I CATCH ON FIRE.
MAISONVILLE: IT'S NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE.
JIM PECK: OKAY.
DUSZYNSKI: NOT WITH A MICHIGAN STATE CAR, ANYWAY.
JIM PECK: NEVER SAY, "IT'S NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE," WHEN THERE'S A CAMERA CREW HERE.
JIM PECK: [ LAUGHS ] IS THIS MADE FOR TALL GUYS?
MAISONVILLE: ALL RIGHT, YOU READY TO GO?
JIM PECK: I'M READY.
[ ENGINE REVVING ]
MAISONVILLE: ALL RIGHT, IT'S ALL YOURS.
[IMAGES OF JIM PECK DRIVING THE BAJA CAR]
JIM PECK: [ LAUGHS ]
MAISONVILLE: SO, WHAT'D YOU THINK?
JIM PECK: IT WAS AWESOME.
DUSZYNSKI: HOW'D IT GO?
JIM PECK: IT WAS AWESOME. I GOT A LITTLE MUDDY, WHICH WAS GOOD.
DUSZYNSKI: YEAH, YOU LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
JIM PECK: DO I?
DUSZYNSKI: YOU MIGHT NEED A SHOWER.
JIM PECK: OKAY. WELL, THAT'S GOOD. SO, GET ME OUT.
MAISONVILLE: LIKE I SAID, IT'S NICE AND SIMPLE. PULL THAT.
DUSZYNSKI: PULL THE LATCH UP.
JIM PECK: THERE WE GO. ALL RIGHT.
[ LAUGHTER ]
JIM PECK: MAN. UGH.
DUSZYNSKI: AND THERE YOU ARE.
MAISONVILLE: AND THAT'S BAJA.
JIM PECK: WOW. AWESOME.
[END]
[THIS VIDEO SHOWS IMIAGES OF THE SAMARITAN SCROLLS AT MSU]
[THIS VIDEO OPENS WITH THE HOST JIM PECK OUTSIDE ON A SNOWY DAY]
JIM PECK: HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF YEARS AGO, A GROUP OF MIDDLE EASTERN PEOPLE KNOWN AS THE SAMARITANS WROTE DOWN THE FIRST FIVE BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. THE SAMARITANS CLAIMED TO BE DESCENDENTS OF THE TRIBES OF NORTHERN ISRAEL, AND THESE SO-CALLED SAMARITAN SCROLLS ENDED UP TUCKED AWAY IN THE ARCHIVES OF MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY. NOW, OF COURSE, THEY'RE GOING DIGITAL.
BENYAMIN TSEDAKA, SAMARITAN ELDER: [ CHANTING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
PETER BERG, HEAD OF SPECIAL COLLECTIONS, MSU LIBRARIES: BUT NOT A LOT OF FOLKS KNEW WHAT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THESE DOCUMENTS WERE.
TSEDAKA: [ CHANTING CONTINUES ]
BERG: THERE ARE VERY, VERY FEW ITEMS LIKE THESE IN THE WORLD.
TSEDAKA: [ CHANTING CONTINUES ]
JIM RIDOLFO, PH. D CANDIDATE, RHETORIC AND WRITING: AND THEY LITERALLY BOXED THEM UP, JUST LIKE YOU SEE IN THAT LAST SCENE OF "RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK," AND PUT THEM UNDER THE STADIUM.
[IMAGE OF A PICTURE OF AN OLD FOOTBALL GAME IN BLACK AND WHITE]
TSEDAKA: [CHANTING CONTINUES ]
RIDOLFO: IN 1950, IT WAS PLACED UNDER THE FOOTBALL STADIUM IN CARDBOARD BOXES, THESE 15th-CENTURY SCROLLS.
BILL HARL-DAVIDSON, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF RHETORIC AND WRITING: AND THERE THEY SAT UNTIL PROFESSOR ANDERSON CAME ALONG AND REDISCOVERED THEM, REALLY.
[IMAGE OF A PICTURE OF MEN LOOKING AT THE SCROLLS]
RIDOLFO: AND HE IDENTIFIED THE SCROLLS, REALIZED THEY WERE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
HARL-DAVIDSON: SOME EFFORT WAS TAKEN TO STABILIZE THEM. THEY HAD SUFFERED SOME DAMAGE WHERE THEY WERE STORED.
[IMAGE OF TORN CORNER OF SCROLL]
RIDOLFO: AND THEN THEY WERE BROUGHT TO SPECIAL COLLECTIONS IN THE UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES TO BE STORED.
TSEDAKA: [ CHANTING CONTINUES ]
BERG: THE SAMARITAN COLLECTION IS A GROUP OF ABOUT 50 ITEMS. REAL HIGHLIGHTS OF THE COLLECTION ARE THREE 15th-CENTURY PENTATEUCHS, THE FIRST FIVE BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT BIBLE.
TSEDAKA: WOW, THIS IS A VERY GOOD BOOK.
HARL-DAVIDSON: THERE ARE TWO TRADITIONAL SOURCES FOR THESE BIBLICAL TEXTS THAT WE KNOW OF TODAY. THESE DOCUMENTS REPRESENT A THIRD.
TSEDAKA: AND WE START IN THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS.
RIDOLFO: BENYAMIM TSEDAKA, WHO IS THE SAMARITAN ELDER THAT WE'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH...
TSEDAKA: [ CHANTING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
RIDOLFO: ...ASKED THAT THE UNIVERSITY, YOU KNOW, DO SOMETHING WITH THE SCROLLS.
TSEDAKA: AND THERE IS A LOT ABOUT HIM.
RIDOLFO: I CONTACTED BENY THROUGH E-MAIL...
TSEDAKA: AND IT IS -- OF COURSE, THIS IS SHEEPSKIN.
RIDOLFO: ...AND ASKED HIM IF, YOU KNOW, HE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH US ON SOME SORT OF PROJECT.
TSEDAKA: ...ETERNAL.
RIDOLFO: HMM.
HARL-DAVIDSON: AND THAT'S YOUR SCRIBE.
TSEDAKA: YEAH.
HARL-DAVIDSON: THE LACK OF ACCESS TO THESE MATERIALS HAS MEANT THAT THEY AREN'T AS WIDELY STUDIED.
RIDOLFO: SO, THIS IS JUST A REALLY SIMPLE MOCK-UP OF ONE OF THE IDEAS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO WORK ON FOR THE ONLINE VERSION OF THE DIGITIZATION PROJECT.
[IMAGE OF THE ONLINE PROJECT]
HARL-DAVIDSON: WHAT WE WANT TO TRY TO DO WITH THIS PROJECT IS PUT THEM OUT THERE, MAKE THAT SET OF RESOURCES AVAILABLE.
RIDOLFO: WE'RE PUTTING THE IMAGES ONLINE IN HIGH-RESOLUTION FORMAT, WHICH ALLOWS YOU TO ZOOM IN AND OUT FROM A LARGE PORTION OF THE TEXT TO A SMALLER PORTION OF THE TEXT. FOLKS ARE ABLE TO COLLABORATE IN A SINGLE DIGITAL SPACE, BUT THERE'S NOT ONE SINGLE ANNOTATION GOING ON ON THE TEXT.
HARL-DAVIDSON: SCHOLARS WORKING ON A PARTICULAR PROBLEM CAN IDENTIFY COLLEAGUES, AND THEY CAN SHARE READINGS AND INTERPRETATIONS IN A VERY DETAILED WAY, EVEN TRANSLATIONS, ON THE ACTUAL DOCUMENTS THEMSELVES.
TSEDAKA: [ CHANTING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
BERG: THESE PENTATEUCHS CAN FORM IMPORTANT INSIGHTS AND PROVIDE IMPORTANT INSIGHTS INTO THE STUDY OF BIBLICAL SCHOLARSHIP.
RIDOLFO: WHAT'S NICE ABOUT THIS PROJECT IS WE'RE WORKING WITH A WHOLE LOT OF DIFFERENT EXPERTS THAT ALL BRING SOMETHING WE NEED TO THE TABLE.
TSEDAKA: AND TO READ, WHEN YOU START, YOU MAKE LIKE THIS.
[IMAGE OF TSEDAKA SLIDING HAND DOWN PAGE]
HARL-DAVIDSON: AH.
BARG: THAT'S THE MATERIAL THAT'S CAUSING THE MOST INTEREST RIGHT NOW, AS FAR AS MAKING IT ACCESSIBLE TO A WORLDWIDE AUDIENCE.
RIDOLFO: THERE IS AN INTEREST, IT SEEMS, FROM FOLKS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN BIBLICAL STUDIES AND, YOU KNOW, JUST GETTING WIND OF THIS ON BLOGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
HARL-DAVIDSON: RETURNING THEM OR RETURNING ACCESS TO THEM TO THE SAMARITAN COMMUNITY, SO WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE MAYBE MAKING A SMALL CONTRIBUTION TO THAT, AS WELL.
ANNOUNCER: THE PRECEDING PROGRAM WAS PRODUCED BY MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE BIG TEN NETWORK.
[END]
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